The Chandra Galactic Bulge Survey (GBS) is a shallow but wide survey of
two approximately 6x1 degree strips of the Galactic Bulge about a degree
above and below the plane. The survey by design targets regions where
extinction and crowding are manageable and optical counterparts are
accessible to detailed follow-up. Our strategy is based on going deep
enough to detect quiescent low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), but no
deeper in order to avoid an excess of cataclysmic variables (CVs), while
covering a large area to maximize the numbers of recovered objects. The
primary goals of the GBS are to test predictions of binary evolutionary
models through number counts and period distributions of detected
sources, and to greatly expand the sample of LMXBs suitable for detailed
optical follow-up including mass determination. We have identified 1234
X-ray sources most with optical counterparts, and expect these to be
divided evenly between quiescent LMXBs, magnetic CVs, and R CVn stars,
with smaller numbers of other source types. We are actively pursuing
multiwavelength follow-up including searches for optical, infrared, and
ultraviolet counterparts, measurement of variability, and optical
spectroscopy. I will summarize the goals of the project and highlight
some of the results obtained so far.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant
No. AST-0908789.